Kannada groups call off April 10 statewide strike

Kannada protagonists softened their belligerent stand on the Hogenakkal controversy on Saturday, withdrawing the call for a state-wide shutdown next Thursday. The move comes after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi decided to put the controversial Hogenakkal project on hold.

The day-long strike on April 10 was called by fringe groups Kannada Rakshana Vedike (KRV) and Kannada Chaluvaligars.

The film industry stepped out in support of the agitation on Friday. But no political party in the state has backed the stir.

The lack of widespread support notwithstanding, the activists will continue to enforce a ban on Tamil movies in theatres across the state, said T A Narayana Gowda, KRV president.

The Kannada Chaluvaligars, led by former MLA Vatal Nagaraj, has chosen to go a step further by demanding a ban on all Rajnikanth movies for his remarks against leaders of parties during a rally in Chennai on Friday. “We’ll make it difficult for him to even visit our state,” said the former legislator.

Karunanidhi’s decision was welcomed by former Karanataka chief ministers S.M. Krishna and B.S. Yediyurappa. “I spoke to Karunanidhi and appreciated his stand (of putting the project on hold),” said Krishna. “I told him he could hold talks with the new government (after elections in May in Karnataka) and he said yes.